Senator Sherrod Brown stopped by the Campaign for Change Headquarters a couple hours ago, and had a special message for Ohio supporters:
You can find your early vote location by clicking HERE.
Barack addressed a riled up crowd here in the Sea Gate Convention Center in Toledo, where prior to his appearance, excitement to have him in town (for 4 days!) boiled over into never heard before chants of "We Will, We Will, Barack You!" and "Bye Bye Bush! Bye Bye Bush!" Even during his speech, in this dark but spacious Convention Hall, they hooped and hollered and even stomped on the risers, to thunderous effect. But they paid attention when attention was due, because as Barack says, "These are serious times."
Local Field Organizer Jesse urged everyone in the crowd to not only vote early but vote today, and do their share of the work to reach out to voters, mentioning the "collective power of small action." Senator Sherrod Brown, who has become all but a fixture on campaign stops, mentioned that Lucas County had the potential to be a leader in the alternative energy sector, and it was a common theme throughout the day. A fellow who had been laid off his job for fourteen weeks made an appropriate introduction for Barack, who took this opportunity to roll out the steps of his Rescue Plan for the Middle Class:
The first involves the thing that's on everyone's mind, and it's easy to spell: J-O-B-S. We are going to take a cue from Toledo, which has become a leader in solar panel technology...
The first involves the thing that's on everyone's mind, and it's easy to spell: J-O-B-S.
We are going to take a cue from Toledo, which has become a leader in solar panel technology...
Barack fleshed out the rest of his 4 step plan:
He called on everyone to participate in the fiscal responsibility that Wall Street has so brazenly bucked in the last eight years, and that the nation will need to demonstrate to overcome this crisis:
We have to break that cycle of debt.We have to take responsibility for living within our means.
We have to break that cycle of debt.
We have to take responsibility for living within our means.
As a city that has seen much better days, but never more potential progress, Toledo was the perfect place for Barack to lay the foundation of his plan to rescue America's economy.
From Aviva:
Senator Obama culminated his American Jobs Tour right here in Columbus yesterday at Genoa Park. Everything about the day seemed hopeful; after a week of October chill and rain, the late morning skies were cloudless and vibrant blue. By 10:00, three hours before the rally began, the line into the park stretched across the entire bridge on Broad Street.
More than ten thousand people crammed themselves into the relatively small space, many skipping work and school in order to see the next President of the United States.
Both the perfect weather and the morale held up even as the sun started to bear down on the patient crowds. As one speaker said:
If you don’t vote today in this beautiful weather, you can’t complain about weather on Election Day!
After a brief prayer and rousing speeches by Ohio Attorney General candidate Richard Cordray, Mayor Michael Coleman, Governor Ted Strickland, and Senator Sherrod Brown, Barack ascended the grassy steps of the park to take the stage, announced by an eruption of cheers.A sea of American flags and Obama-Biden signs greeted him ecstatically. Barack was equal to it, warmly thanking his supporters before settling down to business. The senator laid out the specifics of his plans for the currently desperate state of the economy, in the same vein as he had at various sites in Ohio in the past two days. This time, however, the city of Columbus stood behind him, elegantly gleaming in the sun.Besides the economy, the senator touched on the recent ugly turn in his opponent’s campaign. “Hope beats fear,” he assured us. The crowd took up the cry, and the chant of “Hope beats fear” reverberated throughout the park.After the rally, an exodus of supporters flooded Broad Street and headed to the nearby Veterans' Memorial, where many of the attendees immediately cast their vote for Barack.
This is how we win.
Approximately 600 organizers, in one room, treated to a detailed manual, a dynamic visual presentation, and a strong voice at the front, all informing them exactly what to do in the next few weeks, to make sure that every single supporter casts their vote for Barack Obama.
That may sound less-than-stimulating to most people, but this crew is proud to call themselves community organizers, and jump at the opportunity to share ideas and absorb knowledge on how to effectively mobilize their area to get them to the polls to make change. To say that they're fired up is putting it mildly. This is their livelihood. This is what they do, and what they've spent every waking hour doing for the last several weeks, months, and for some, even years.
And as is the Obama field team motto, they were respected, empowered, and included. Respected, by being allowed a time for each to tell their story of why they are working for change, and being trusted to take what was learned today and adapting it to each community. Empowered, by being armed with an arsenal of meticulously thought out materials and presented with G.O.T.V. simulations that problem-solve every possible issue that could come up on Election Day. And included, by bringing them into the conversation with the biggest names in the movement. Today they were visited by Governor Ted Strickland, Senator Sherrod Brown... and, oh yeah, this guy:
That's right--Barack Obama himself, after two rallies today in Chillicothe and Columbus, took time off his schedule to meet with six hundred people in Ohio... whose votes he can surely count on. He met with them because these are some of the people working the hardest for him in the whole country, let alone Ohio. He met with them because community organizing and the power of it is fundamental not only to his own personal biography, but also to the philosophy of this campaign. He met with them because even after November 4th, after the votes have been gotten out, change will start from the bottom up.
This is how we win. Get out your own vote, and then you can be a part.
Being an area that doesn't get much attention from the standard Democratic presidential candidate, Portsmouth was clearly overjoyed to have a first-hand look at Barack Obama. Here on the green at Shawnee State University, they were cheering back at him as he spoke more than the standard rally crowd. Of all ages, from all backgrounds, they're fired up, and ready to turn this red county blue.
Senator Sherrod Brown kicked it off by giving a shout-out to not just Portsmouth, but Ironton, Southern Ohio, and even Kentucky! He expressed confidence in the students here at Shawnee State University supporting Barack, but stressed the need to have "The Talk" with their parents.
But the event was especially momentous occasion for Governor Ted Strickland--although he's been to all three stops with Barack today, Portsmouth is just a few miles from where he grew up, and Shawnee State was where he was a teacher. These are his people, and he spoke to them frankly, as only he can:
We care about family, faith, and community. We also care about the Bill of Rights... and that includes the Second Amendment. I'm here tonight to tell you, that through direct talks I've had with him, if you are a hunter or gunowner, you have nothing to fear from Barack Obama. You can tell 'em I told you so. Tell 'em, "Ted told me!"
We care about family, faith, and community. We also care about the Bill of Rights... and that includes the Second Amendment.
I'm here tonight to tell you, that through direct talks I've had with him, if you are a hunter or gunowner, you have nothing to fear from Barack Obama. You can tell 'em I told you so. Tell 'em, "Ted told me!"
Barack's speech was a deft mix of financial shop talk and soaring rhetoric that played on the crowd's potent enthusiasm. He told a funny story about the owner of the diner in Georgetown, Ohio (where he stopped on the way), who he heard from the workers was a devout Republican. When Barack finally met the man, he asked him "I heard you're a dyed in the wool Republican." The man said yes. Barack paused, then simply said:
"So... How's business?"
The crowd here in Portsmouth roared with laughter.
Most of all, Barack conveyed a common-sense approach to fixing the economy's problems. He mentioned changing bankruptcy laws so they favor people with one home, instead of those with multiple. He condemned the AIG executives who recently spent their bailout money on vacation getaways, saying that they should write a check back to the American people, and "be fired on the spot." After detailing his plans to invest in college education and green jobs, he broke down how he would handle the country's finances into basics:
I'm not just here to tell you how we're going to spend money, I'm here to tell you how we're going to save money.I'll do what you do with your own family budget--cut out things that don't work.
I'm not just here to tell you how we're going to spend money, I'm here to tell you how we're going to save money.
I'll do what you do with your own family budget--cut out things that don't work.
A prolonged war in Iraq, and tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas are just a few of those money-saving budget cuts that Barack said Portsmouth, and Southern Ohio, and the Buckeye State as a whole could expect from his administration.
Barack is firing them up where ever he goes--from stadiums in Dayton, to parks in Cincy, to college quads in the southernmost tip of Ohio. And you can put your vote in for him today--so you can do your part to work to get him into office in the next few weeks.
Today was Day 3 of Ohio's 7 day window in which you can REGISTER AND VOTE ALL AT ONCE. Reports from voters are in, and it's so easy, it could take you less than a half hour!
Here's encouragement from some special friends of Barack Obama's Campaign for Change in Ohio:
And a certain Springfield native you might recognize:
Don't wait. Only 4 more days to register and vote. 33 more days to vote early.
Yesterday, an all-star line-up of Ohio's biggest political figures hit the road in the Heartland Change RV, to bring word of Barack's rural and small town policies right to the people who would benefit the most. Governor Ted Strickland, Senator Sherrod Brown, Treasurer Richard Cordray, and Congressman Tim Ryan all got the chance to speak out for Barack in Southern Ohio yesterday.
The day started with canvass kick-offs and economic forums in Circleville, Chillicothe, and Waverly. The group reiterated that with the economy in such peril, Ohioans--and especially those in rural and small town areas--could not afford to give George Bush's policies four more years to play out under John McCain. Below is a picture of Congressman Ryan, Mr. Cordray, Gov. Strickland, and Sen. Brown (in that order), talking shop in the Heartland Change RV as it pulls out of Waverly:
By all accounts, jobs (or lack thereof) are the biggest issue in this area, and Barack's Plan for the Heartland to invest in infrastructure and green energy would provide plenty of them. The foursome brought this message all the way to Governor Strickland's birthday party in Lucasville, in his home county of Scioto. (The Governor's actual birthday was August 4th--the same day as Barack's!) With the Governor as Master of Ceremonies and his wife providing musical accompaniment, each speaker pressed the need for change in this election season, and the crowd was all ears, proudly waving Obama-Biden rally signs. Scioto County may have gone for Hillary in the primary, but with Ted (and Hillary herself!) on board, the region stands poised with potential to swing blue for Barack on November 4th.
It was a family affair, with many of those in attendance personal friends (if not actual family) of the Governor. He stayed to chat with every last one before heading to the Jackson Apple Festival, while local supporters posed for pictures in front of the Heartland Change RV.
It seemed that at Ted's birthday party, the support for Barack at was as overwhelming as the beautiful vistas in Scioto County.
Images and words from our intrepid blogger on the road, Stephen, who's travelling with the Rural crew as well as Senator Sherrod Brown and Governor Ted Strickland in the Heartland Change RV. The group was at Dennison today, and is currently stopped in Zanesville:
Approximately 273 college students, professors, and residents of Granville gathered to hear about the Obama Campaign. LaForce Baker, President of Dennisonians for Obama, spoke first and explained how students can get involved and help the campaign by phonebanking, canvassing, and tabling. He then introduced County Commissioner Mark Van Buren who then introduced Sen. Sherrod Brown. Senator Brown explained why Ohio, and students were so important to this election and how Barack is going to fix the economy. He also encouraged students to register to vote in Ohio and to stay in Ohio after graduation. He then introduced the Governor, who added some details to how Sen. Obama would help heal the American and Ohioan economy and encouraged students to get involved.
Once again over 200 people have gathered here in Zanesville right now to hear about the Obama campaign and how Senators Obama and Biden are going to help fix our troubled economy. These Ohioans are concerned about how they're going to pay their bills, keep their jobs, and educate their children. People are having to stand in the back and applause is raucous.They are hearing from our local Field Organizer Sarah Eckhouse, State Rep. candidate Jennifer Stewart, Congressman Zack Space, Governor Ted Strickland, and Senator Sherrod Brown. People are hungry for change and here in Zanesville, they're getting ready to elect Barack and get the change we need.
Once again over 200 people have gathered here in Zanesville right now to hear about the Obama campaign and how Senators Obama and Biden are going to help fix our troubled economy. These Ohioans are concerned about how they're going to pay their bills, keep their jobs, and educate their children. People are having to stand in the back and applause is raucous.
They are hearing from our local Field Organizer Sarah Eckhouse, State Rep. candidate Jennifer Stewart, Congressman Zack Space, Governor Ted Strickland, and Senator Sherrod Brown. People are hungry for change and here in Zanesville, they're getting ready to elect Barack and get the change we need.
Stay up to date with the Heartland Change Tour through Ohio right HERE.
Are you a supporter who lives in a rural area? Join Rural Ohioans for Obama by clicking HERE.
It was a packed day for the Obamas and the Bidens yesterday in Ohio, as the two families criss-crossed the state and made nothing short of four stops for a variety of events.
The climax of the day was no doubt the Rally in Dublin, at Dublin Coffman High School, where 19,000 people packed both sides of the football stadium, not to mention the sprawl of the sidelines, to hear Barack and Joe. The two Senators were introduced by Governor Ted Strickland, Senator Sherrod Brown, and Ohio hero and former Senator John Glenn. Pictures from the event, and the rest of the day, are posted below:
Even before Barack took the stage and shouted "O-H!" (to the roaring reply of "I-O"), the energy in the open air stadium was off the charts. Joe Biden aptly explained what's behind all the excitement in his introduction of Barack:
"I watched a guy tap into, just by his very being and his ideas, tap into the age-old American belief that many have forgotten. And that is, you don't have to accept a situation you cannot bear; you can change it."
The rally was preceded by a stop in tiny Marengo, in Morrow County, where Barack and Joe stopped at a sweet corn stand.
Before that, in Cleveland, the families attended the memorial service of Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who died on August 20th. Senator Clinton and President Clinton were also present, and though the service stretched to four hours, Barack stayed for the duration, and made remarks as well.
The duo kicked off the morning with some breakfast at the Yankee Kitchen Diner in Boardman, near Youngstown. The stop was caught on video, which you can check out here:
Today, Barack and Joe were in Lima and then Toledo, for a discussion on the economy at the Toledo-Lucas Library. More on those events coming soon...
